PAINTER, GRAPHIC ARTIST, ILLUSTRATOR ADOLF ZABRANSKÝ (1909 - 1981)

Adolf Zábranský studied at the Academy of Applied Design
under the guidance of František Kysela and the Academy of Arts in Vilém
Nowak´s studio. He joined the Mánes group of fine artists in 1943 and
6 years later also the Union of Czechoslovak Fine Artists. Zábranský was
a distinguished painter, newspaper illustrator and poster designer. His
graphic drawings in the Hrzán Palace and Ledebur Garden in Prague are
well known. He was most appreciated for his book illustrations. He always
attempted to achieve the optimum link between the text and illustrations
of a book. As an example, he illustrated Olbracht´s „From the Old Chronicles“
(1952) in which he was inspired by Mikoláš Aleš, Baar´s „Hanýžka and Martínek“
(1939) and „The Nation´s Favourite Stories“ by Beneš Třebízský (1941).
He was awarded the titles of Renowned Artist in 1959 and National Artist
in 1970. His illustrations brought him an international recognition which
was proven by the Hans Christian Andersen Award from 1972. In 1974 he
was awarded a prize from the Albatros Publishing House and the IBBY* European
Prize two years later.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Drawing is the key element of Zábranský’s graphic attitude. In his early period, he watercolour tinted
and followed precisely the book content, no matter whether its subject was historical, theatrical (1940)
or regional (1939-1942). His illustrations of the childhood world are the most significant component of
his work for children. The text is always in harmony with the illustration concept. He created remarkable
illustrations of fairytales in the period of 1946-1949 and of poetry for children (mainly by J. V. Sládek,
J. Čarek and F. Hrubín). Many of these books were translated into the tens of world languages, e.g. “Do kola“
(Going Round) (1950) and “Zlatá brána otevřená” (Open the Golden Gate) (1963). The peak of Zábranský’s work
as illustrator are his illustrations of fairytales by Božena Němcová that he was working at for 15 years
and whose publishing he did not live to see, as they were published by Albatros Publishers in 1982.

Zábranský about the work of illustrator: “If people say that a painter can see with children eyes it is not
completely accurate. The concept of illustration cannot simply imitate children drawings - such approach would
be too superficial. The painter must have something beyond that – the stock of experiences from the childhood
hidden inside.” (Lipsko, 1959)

PAINTING

Zábranský introduced himself to the public by an exhibition at Mánes gallery in 1942. He became a member
of the Union of Visual Artists Mánes in the same year. The art critic Z. Hlaváček wrote about him: “He starts
at the point where Cézanne and the cubists made a full stop.” Zábranský suppresses the decorative component
of the art in favour of its veracity. Hias painting work is unomittable in context of the development of
visual arts from 1940’s to 1970’s."

TEXTILE DESIGNS

This is the area where the decorative feeling of the author applies to the full extent. Once again,
drawing is the basic element– maximally simplified into the substance of the subject. Zábranský is able
to create realistic picture of cats, dogs, pigs, goats, as well as horses and cows in the spontaneous
abbreviation animated with lively scale of colours. His favourite themes are the Czech autumn, the life
of children in province, flying a kite, lyric scenes and so on. All are modern and dateless. Their
sketches were born in 1960’s and 1970’ but are still captivating today. Only a part of the illustrations
was realized in the ateliers of ČFVU (Faculty of Art and Design).
This decorative sensation is fully expressed in the books “Veselý rok” (Happy Year) (1968) and “Od jara do jara” (From Spring to Spring) (1978).